The history of a clothing brand is often quite remarkable. Some brands were created by accident, while others were created deliberately. We've previously written a blog post about the origins of several different brands sold at Tip de Bruin. From now on, we'll be highlighting a clothing brand each month: the Brand of the Month. In this blog post, we'll share the history, vision, and other interesting tidbits from the finest clothing brands in our store. We're starting "Brand of the Month" with one of our most popular brands: the Italian clothing brand Stone Island. This brand is very proud of its history and even published a book about it. In this blog post, you'll read about the brand's origins, how the name came about, and what Stone Island stands for!
The discovery
It all began in 1982 in Rivarino when Massimo Osti made a chance discovery. One day, a truck loaded with unusual material arrived at the CP Company factory in Italy (the brand already existed at the time). It was a unique fabric that resembled truck tarpaulin. The material was very striking and had two different colors: a red front and a blue back. No one knew what to do with it. To produce clothing from this fabric, it required extensive processing. Osti decided to put the material in a washing machine with seawater and pumice (a special type of rock with a high concentration of voids). By washing the material for a long time, its structure softened. This made it suitable for clothing. The result was so beautiful and different from the other clothing that Massimo Osti decided to create a new collection. They decided to make seven different jackets from this unique fabric and give them names (this first, unique jacket can be seen in the banner of this blog). The special fabric used for this was called Tela Stella. The only thing missing was a brand name for this new collection…
Where does the name come from?
The name Stone Island was inspired by the most frequently used words in the books of prose writer Joseph Conrad (who wrote primarily about the perilous life at sea). The words "stone" and "island" were chosen. This new "project" was therefore particularly driven by a love of the maritime sector and military uniforms. Thanks to this creativity, the "father" of all casual clothing brands was born: Stone Island. The brand began with a collection with a maritime look, making the clothing appear as if it had been corroded by seawater. The Stone Island badge, the embroidered fabric label that has distinguished the brand's garments since day one, has featured a compass rose from the very beginning. This is depicted as a military badge. This, of course, is another reference to the maritime sector.
The company culture
Stone Island's corporate culture is primarily based on research and experimentation with various fibers, materials, and functionalities. It is, therefore, a "sportswear brand" created to become a symbol in this field. From the brand's inception, Carlo Rivetti (the current director and owner) was involved with CP Company/Stone Island. Rivetti purchased a 50% stake in the company in 1983, and shortly thereafter, he owned the entire company. Season after season, the exploration of materials and functionality continues. As a result, Stone Island continues to push boundaries in the clothing industry. The clothing Stone Island designs today is certainly no less unique than ever before (perhaps even more unique and better). Contemporary clothing still embodies the functionality and quality that Stone Island stands for and that made the brand so successful.
Feel free to visit our store on Nieuwendijk to browse the entire Stone Island collection. You can also shop Stone Island online ! And keep an eye on our website for a new "brand of the month"!
Source: Stone Island Archivio '982-'012', SilvanaEditoriale (2012)
